There's No Room For Doom For Nebraska Players, Fans

September 5, 1986|By Bob Asmussen, Daily Nebraskan

LINCOLN, NEB. — Relief has replaced anger as the mood on the University of Nebraska campus. At least until Tuesday.

The NCAA granted a stay Thursday of its one game suspension of 60 Nebraska players. The stay allows the 60 Cornhuskers to play in Saturday night's nationally televised game with Florida State. Appeal of the penalty will be heard Tuesday by the NCAA.

Nebraska practiced Thursday night under the temporary lights at Memorial Stadium. The ominous feeling of doom Wednesday was replaced by a feeling of anticipation for Saturday's game.

''Now we just got to go out and play well,'' Nebraska Coach Tom Osborne said. ''They players are all a little bit emotional about the whole thing. Naturally, we are disappointed we have to go through all this.''

Some students around campus said they were relieved; others admitted they were angry.

''I am relieved because I thought it was poopy that the NCAA would suspend 60 people for a game,'' said Linda Story, 39, of Lincoln.

Kent Endacott, a son of an attorney in Lincoln, said he thought the NCAA's timing was bad.

''I think anytime a regulatory body takes this severe of action, due process should be allowed. It's hard for me to believe that the results of an investigation, which began three months ago, couldn't have been released sooner.''

Chuck Green, sports editor of the student newspaper Daily Nebraskan, said he agreed with the NCAA's initial penalty.

''Actually, I don't know why the NCAA is moving it back,'' Green said. ''The timing might have been bad, but the NCAA came out with it when they had enough information. Maybe the players should have thought how bad the timing would be when they gave their tickets away last year.''